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That's probably not the emotion that I should be feeling on the verge of attending one of the largest game conventions in the world, but each year at this time I head to the airport seeing only what wasn't done. The Spiel 2015 Preview isn't complete so much as "good enough" as I simply have no more time to make additions or corrections; despite wanting to provide more complete descriptions for all listed games, I have dozens of unread rule sets that will now probably never be read; publishers sent me sample games in advance so that I could record previews, and I can think of at least a dozen games that I've played, yet didn't get to in time.
Sure, I've tweeted pics of most of these games or used my knowledge of the rules to update their descriptions or otherwise present them more completely to potential viewers, and I can still do more once Spiel ends because it's not like the games vanish once the Messe closes, but still — it doesn't seem enough. I always want to do more, viewing this annual preview as my personal challenge, one that I know will end in failure, yet one that I can't help undertaking with the spirit that this year, for sure, I'll do a more thorough job. Keep spinning that hamster wheel, Martin!
All that said, I'm excited to attend Spiel once again — my tenth time! — to see familiar faces, nosh on the ever-delicious crêpes, look with fear at the fried spiral potatoes, and (who knows?) perhaps even play a game or two, although I know from experience that this too almost never happens. Instead I'll be talking with designers and publishers about their plans for 2016. What's coming in the new year? Who wants to write a designer diary to explain how one of these new mysterious creations came to be? How far behind will I feel next Spiel, given the incredible volume of titles released this year compared to 2014? Only time will tell...
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